The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-05-14
a CURIOUS STORY.
A Strange But weil-Authenticatsd In
stsncs OF Canine Second Sight.

stance Of Canine Second sight.
Il has often been said that animals
have as keen perception and as quick
an appreciation as man himself Of any
thing out of the usual order of things,
or partaking in any way Of preter-
| natural character. Whether the whole |
animal creation are endowed with this
singular sagacity 1t is impossible to say,
and would be equally impossible to
prove; but as regards dogs and horses
at any rate-if we are to believe the |
many stories which have been related !
on the very best authorties-it is Ger.
tain that those animals have been the |
first to recognizc-and to testify by their |
fright and terror the force of such re
cognition-that they are in the presence |
of something beyond their ken; and
the next step is, with true animal
sagacity, to seek safety in flight, with
the usual accompaniment of scared
looks, dropped tails and ears, and
dropped heads.
In the following curious narrative
remarkable instance is given of dog
having evidently seen something not
seen by either his master or mistress,
which evidently at first caused him
great delight, but which, on closer in
vestigation, turned out to be empty
space, and produced in the dog all the
signs of abject fear The peculiar cir
cumstances of the story, which were re-
lated to the writer by friend, whose
word he can have no reason to doubt,
are simply these:
A young lady, Miss F., was on q
. visit to q family of name and position.
Colonel and Mrs. c., who occupied
large mansion in one of the home
counties. They possessed favorite
setter, a pet of everybody, but especially
of Miss F.. who was as fond of the
dog as the dog was of her. Wherever
Miss F. went, walking, driving or
riding, Flora was sure to be close at
hand. And in the drawing-room the
. dog would sit by Miss F-'s side, lay
her long white nose on the lady's knee
1 and look up earnestly in her face.
, making that peculiar sort of snoring in
the nose which pet dogs often attempt,
: either to attract attention or to express
love. If, however, Flora was accident
J. ally shut out from any room in which
: Miss F. happened to be she would
scratch ut the door and whine and cry
in pitiful manner until the door was
opened.
= Miss F. had been staying with
Colonel and Mrs. C. about three OF
s four weeks, when she became suddenly
+ ill and determined to return without
: delay to her home in the adjoining
: county. Thither she was removed in
& an invalid carriage; but although she
g received every possible care and atten-
> ton she appeared to get no better; her
k malady was evidently increasing daily.
= About a month after Miss F. had
9 left Colonel G-'s house, he and hi:
u wife were one day in their morning
" room, which looked out upon an extcn
., sive lawn. The bells of the neighbor
q ing village church had begun to rims
l. for the usual daily mathis, the time
Is being quarter before ten, and the
s. Colonel and his wife were preparing tt
p attend, according to their regular Gus
tom. when they observed Flora-wh'
20 was lying apparently asleep. close t.
II the open glass doors leading to tn,
II lawn-raise her head quickly, and
10 with cooked ears and strained eyes
* look intently down the lawn, as il
oi she saw something there which attracted
her attention. All at once she jumpe,
oi up, bounded over the grass, and con,
'o menced leaping up two or three times
10 expressing all those signs of intcns
81 canine Joy usually exhibited ON meet
IT ing, after an absence, some speciall
l. loved object. In moment, however
Or the dog ceased her gestures, droppe
IL her tail and head, manifesting ever
IS sign of abject fear, and, turning round
oi rushed back to the house, into the room
III and crawled under the sofa, whenc
&c neither calling nor coaxing on the par
MS of Mrs. C. could induce her to stiI
~ This peculiar conduct on the part G
y Flora, who was remarkable for her hig
NJ training and perfect obedience, SUI
u, " prised and perplexed both the Colone
W. and his wife quite as much rs tn
.e violent manifestations Of joy, follows
W Immediately by every sign of the mos
Nv crouching terror, all of which wer
- wholly unaccountable.
About two hours later in the day
% %';S telegram was received by Mrs. C.
Is !. containing the sad and unexpected in
~ telligence of the death of Miss F
- at a quarter to ten that morning.
ho 1t may fairly be asked what coul
~ have caused the dog suddenly to stan
., up and rush down the lawn with all tn
~ outward demonstrations of intense 10
usually exhibited on seeing and meet
ing loved friendP Flora, withou
doubt, must have seen something, o
'e- fancied she saw something, though il
l.. visible to the eyes of man, but, findin
no it had no tangible substance, her canin
y" instinct told her that it was unnatura
-" and unusual, and hence fear took tn
,n ,,a place of joy, and she sought refuge i
,'S nS flight. That the object of these token
NV y" of love ON the part of the dog shoul
g" have passed to her rest Mt the identities
-" moment they We're exhibited by til
IN ~, faithful and attached Flora is coli
~. ,u cidence regarding which we will NJ
~ pretend to offer an opinion Chamber
'N- .Tourn0I